Child Clothing

Running a very close second to the new baby in cuteness are the piles of teeny shirts and booties that look like doll accessories. Nothing but the newborn and a basket of puppies can create the squeals of delight quite like those itty bitty outfits.

The only major question is, what the heck do you really need to have? Seems small, but there is actually quite a lot of stress tied up in trying to predict what clothes a baby will need, especially for a brand new mommy. However, with a few pointers, shopping for the baby will be nothing but fun! Even though all those complicated outfits with ruffles and underpants and bonnets are cute (or overalls with straps and button-down shirts with matching caps), there really isn’t a need for a whole bunch of fussy, fancy duds. Two or three dressy outfits for photos and special occasions are plenty. So if you fall in love with a frilly dress and matching bloomers, by all means indulge yourself and make sure you take photos! Just don’t stress about having a perfectly matching wardrobe with dozens of choices.

The same rules apply to overly expensive baby clothes. These little guys and gals will outgrow their clothes almost as fast as you can dress them up. Most fancy baby clothes only get worn a time or two before they’re ready for the hand-me-down bin. Besides, your baby will definitely care more about having clothes that are soft and comfy than clothes that have a particular brand name or price tag.

Once you have the fancy-schmancy stuff bought (admit it, the first thing you’re shopping for is the basket of puppies cute stuff), you need to remember the basics.
A baby’s best wardrobe includes a whole week’s worth of the little shirts that snap closed between their legs. Remember, between diaper mishaps, spit-up, and drool, your little one may need fresh clothes a few times a day, and you won’t want to spend all your free time in the laundry room. They’re called bodysuits or onesies most of the time, depending on where you shop. These little things are perfect for changing diapers, they don’t ride up, and you can pair them with any kind of pant or shorts you want. They are also smooth and soft for newborns, and keep the baby from getting a healing belly-button scratched.

Your next best buy are baby nightgowns or “sleep sacks,” long sleep shirts that usually have elastic around the bottom, making a wearable sleeping bag for your baby. These are wonderful for newborns, who are most comfortable when they can curl up and feel their own skin. They’re also much safer than blankets, which can be unsafe for baby to sleep with for a while. Again, you’ll need to stock at least enough for a couple of changes a night.

Sleepers, pajamas, jumpsuits…these all refer to the one piece, long-sleeved outfits that cover the whole body (even those tiny feet) and snap or zip all the way up the front. These are a little more complicated than the sleep sacks for changing, and are ideal for babies that are a couple months old, who move around a lot when they’re sleeping. They’re also priceless on cold winter nights. Most moms find that getting a handful of these in a 3-6 month old size is handy to have around.

If you’re having a fall or winter baby, you’ll need at least one warm suit to bundle the baby up in. Pants and a jacket are easier to manipulate than one-piece snowsuits. The jacket should have a hood; babies aren’t known for leaving a hat on their head if they can help it. You also might consider a car-seat cover that has a flap you can close over the baby for coming and going to the car in the cold. They keep the inside of the seat toasty warm. On the other hand, if you’re having a summer baby, you can skip the heavy clothes until she gets a little older…it’s hard to predict what size she’ll wear in eight months. A sunhat (if she’ll keep it on) could be a good investment, though.

One last thing to dress is the tiny feet. Unless you just have to have them, shoes for a newborn are pretty useless. Plenty of socks and booties are a must though…for some reason they are the first thing to disappear one by one. I’m actually quite convinced that my dryer ate baby socks for months, because I never did find them all.

Elizabeth Price

She is not only a quality nursing writer, but also a sought-after spokesperson, promoting quality nursing practice throughout the U. S. and abroad. Elizabeth does workshops, symposia, conventions, international meetings, radio shows, as well as newspaper interviews. Her unique ability to use humor in presenting critical concepts on nursing is always very popular. She is very professional and highly skilled in her practice. Check me out at Google

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